The Holy Grail of e-bike batteries, in a few years all e-bike batteries will be of this type
Stromer has developed the first solid-state ceramic battery for electric bicycles. The Swiss brand has teamed up with its partner TD Hitech Energy to achieve this breakthrough that promises faster charging and increased durability and sustainability. The difficulties of mass production mean that for the moment it is only conceptual, although it is expected that this technology will eventually arrive in the next few years.
Stromer hits the glass ceiling: solid-state ceramic batteries could solve current battery problems
Electric batteries have long been the talk of the town. The mobility industry - especially the automotive sector - is working to find a model that solves the drawbacks of conventional batteries, knowing that whoever finds the magic formula will have a considerable advantage over the competition. In the world of e-bikes, this race is also taking place. Stromer has made its mark and presented the first solid-state ceramic battery.
Many roads seem to lead to solid-state batteries. It is estimated that they can store almost twice as much energy as lithium-ion batteries. The liquids or gels in current batteries are one of the main causes of their degradation, and eliminating them has two advantages: the theory is that their useful life will be extended and they will be less prone to fire -something that has caused some debate-.
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On the other hand, these batteries need less amount of rare materials, which gives them an extra sustainability compared to the models used today.
Stromer wanted to take the medal of being the first brand to develop a battery of this style for e-Bikes, in collaboration with TD Hitech Energy, and reported that they will continue working on it.
One of the most important advantages of this solid-state ceramic battery is the charging times - which could be reduced by up to 10 times - and that it can be charged at temperatures of -20ºC, although the brand expects to lower this to -30ºC. In addition, they could also be lighter.
Tomi Viiala, co-CEO of Stromer, defines this creation as the "Holy Grail" and adds that "although it will be several years before this technology can be used in mass production due to current high production costs and limited battery capacity, it holds immense potential for the future."
The biggest challenge is to reduce the cost - which would be about eight times more expensive than lithium batteries - in order to be able to implement this technology at a reasonable price. For the moment, Stromer has taken advantage of the Eurobike celebration to announce this big step, where they incorporated this battery into one of their models, an ST7.
Despite the enthusiasm that such information may arouse, as Viiala itself acknowledges, it is currently impossible to bring this type of battery to a production line. Stromer states that the time is years away, although they also predict that it could arrive as early as 2025.